Isaac Curtis

Lifelong Alaskan Isaac Tikitchuuraq Curtis, 77, died April 19, 2007, at Alaska Regional Hospital.
A funeral will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday in Kotzebue with Pastor Johnny Snyder officiating. Pallbearers will be Enoch Shiedt, Grover Harris Jr., Nereus Harris III, David Harris, Benjamin Arnold and Freddie Sours.
Mr. Curtis was born Nov. 2, 1929, in the Kobuk area to George Sr. and Maude Curtis. He was a Crowley Maritime heavy-equipment operator for many years, retiring in 1994.
His family wrote: "After his parents passed on, his cherished grandmother, Mary Pillulnuraq Curtis, took on the task of raising him. He lived much of his early adult life in Sisualik, enjoying a subsistence lifestyle.
"He and his wife, Ida, enjoyed outings to their favorite sheefish hooking holes on the Kobuk and Selawik lakes. After retiring, he moved to Anchorage. He loved playing bingo and met many wonderful and close friends there.
"Isaac will be lovingly remembered as a kind, loving, gentle, very funny and generous guy who had a great love for helping others and hunting and fishing. Many Kotzebue elders remember him fondly as an older son. He had an exceptional memory and was able to recall events even as a very young child with great detail.
"He will be sadly missed but lovingly remembered."
Surviving are his devoted wife, Ida; stepson, Rick Jones and wife Norma; stepdaughters, Suzanne Sharp and husband Tim, and Ruth Mendenhall, all of Anchorage; sister-in-law, Louise Moto; brother-in-law, Mike Mendenhall; nieces, Elsie Curtis Ratcliff and Nora Curtis; nephew, Calvin Curtis; cousins, Eva Heffle, Dwight Arnold and Johnson Stalker; and special friends, Nimrod Koenig, Mary Monroe, Daniel Henry Sr., Lois McGillary and the Crowley crew. He leaves many devoted friends and other relatives including the Henry, Sours and Curtis families.
He was preceded in death by his brother, George Curtis Jr.
The family would like to express its deepest gratitude to caring doctors, Dr. Emili, Dr. Wrigley and Dr. Bang, and the home-care staff; Spade, his male nurse; staff at the Fresensius Center; and volunteers of Anchor Rides for their care during his final days with us.